Well newest chapter, it's a bit of filler, but it also shows the two adapting to normal life. The saintly beasts are coming, but for now, Crona and Ryuu are just training. Again hope everyone enjoys and as always reviews are love.

"Crona, dodge right!" screamed Ryuu. The sword meister threw himself to the side as a kishin egg charged into a wall. Crona spun, almost as if he was dancing, and Ragnarok sliced open the kishin's side. Cronas long coat now had red bar patches along each sleeve. On his left, Ragnarok side were six patches, Ryuu's side had two. Each side also had a small patch on the top of the shoulder styled after both weapons.

"Ragnarok, scream resonance!" cried Crona. The black sword screeched, the sonic blast hit the kishin and sent into a wall. "Ryuu dragon flame!"

"Thought you'd never ask!" replied Ryuu. A cerulean flame sheathed the weapon's blade. Crona shifted his stance, and sprang forward. Ragnarok flew forward and smashed aside the kishin's claws, then Ryuu shot out and impaled the kishin. The fire along the broad sword's blade burned the kishin even as Crona twisted the blade. The monster sunk to the ground, sword still in it.

Crona stepped towards it, a half giggling, half remorseful smile on his face, reminiscent of his madness grin. "Be at peace." Ragnarok flashed, and the kishin's head bounced away. The kishin's soul floated into the air as Ryuu transformed back.

"Mine," he whispered as he took the red soul and downed it, a vicious smirk wormed its way forward as Ryuu relished the taste.

"I still don't get why crazy eyes got to eat that one! I'm starving!" complained Ragnarok as he changed back into his demon form.

Crona steadied himself on a building. "B-b-because, you ate the l-l-last three," answered the meister.

Ragnarok grunted. "Details. I'm hungry, let's get food."

Ryuu stretched, his earrings glinted in the moon light. "For once I agree with the chibi demon. Food sounds brilliant. Come on, my treat."

Ragnarok fist pumped as he cried out in joy. "Yea, food sweet delicious food!"

Ryuu shook his head. He started walking; Crona fell into step with him. "You did well; you managed to control the black blood, and the madness, rather well."

Crona blushed under the praise. "Your wavelength made it easier, not being scared helps stop the madness."

Ryuu smirked slightly. "I didn't use it. You've been working on resonating with me, I've been working on controlling that particular wavelength. You were doing that yourself."

Crona stopped and stared. "I…I…on my own?"

Ryuu nodded. "Yup, you're getting better my friend, all the time." The partners wandered through the city, eventually making it back to their hotel. The next day they were on a train back to Death City.

The pair had been sent on their first solo mission. After the fight with Byakko, Ryuu was held back from missions for two weeks, to ensure his body was fully healed. During that time he and Crona worked on their resonance and Crona went out with either Maka or Kid. After the second week Ryuu started going a little stir crazy, and he joined Crona on his missions.

For the past several months this pattern continued, until one day, Lord Death called the two into his Death Room, assigned them a solo mission and sent them on their way. Thus the pair found themselves in Montana and a new kishin egg was defeated. Since the fight with Byakko, the saintly beasts had been quiet, Ryuu assumed the whip chain was licking her wounds, while the others watched and waited. As for the warlord, Ryuu had no guesses for what he was doing.

So Crona and Ryuu waited, trained and lived. Like right now. Crona had never ridden on a train, and Lord Death decided they would travel by train; he even got them drawing rooms so they could sleep comfortably. Right now they were both in bed, when Crona asked a question. "Do you miss them?"

Ryuu paused before answering. It was clear who Crona meant. Finally the weapon let out a sigh. "Every day."

"Even t-t-though they're bad?" replied Crona.

"Even so. They, they weren't always bad. Besides, no matter what, you always love your family," said Ryuu. Crona nodded, those words rang truer than the meister cared to admit. "But, it helps having a new family. You, the chibi demon, the others. It's not the same, but, it's nice."

Crona sighed and worked up his courage. "Why, why do you wear those earrings then?"

A small smile danced across Ryuu's face. "I'll counter that with another question. If you had a trinket of her, would you keep it, despite all the pain it represented?" Crona didn't say anything, he honestly didn't know. "They were my family, and…there were good times. I wear these because they remind me of my past."

After a little while, Crona spoke again. "When…when we get back c-c-can we get tattoos?" asked Crona.

"Tattoos?" echoed Ryuu, an eyebrow cocked.

"Y-y-yes, I-I-I w-w-want to get s-s-something permanent, to represent my new life," answered Crona.

Ryuu ducked his head over the side of the bunk bed. "I've been looking to get new ink, sure, we can get one together, alright?" Crona nodded, a smile on his face.

The two fell into silence, finally Ryuu yawned. "It's late, get some sleep Crona, we got a long day of traveling tomorrow. G'night."

"G-g-good night Ryuu," Crona answered as he nestled deeper into his bed. The two eventually fell asleep.

Several days later, the pair were back in Death City, reporting to Lord Death. "So the kishin egg was destroyed and you two didn't even take any wounds. Good job! Well looks like everything is in order, go skedaddle, Crona Marie is looking for you." Crona nodded slightly as he left. "Ryuu, hold on for a second." The weapon stopped. "I would like to talk to you, tea?"

Ryuu nodded as he sat down at the small table. "What's up Lord?"

"Two things," replied the reaper. "First, this was delivered to the school," the reaper passed Ryuu a box. A smiling turtle sticker was on top. Ryuu's face darkened slightly. "Second, how's Crona?"

Ryuu looked up from the box, an eyebrow cocked. "He's…fine."

The reaper took a sip of tea. "Good, good. No bouts of madness yes?"

"No sir," answered Ryuu. "He's been stable, very stable. Sometimes I think he's more stable than I am."

Lord Death chuckled slightly. "Yes, well, physical signs of madness aside, you two have been good for each other. Crona, it seems, has been improving leaps and bounds. Marie and Stein say he barely stutters and is slowly learning how to deal with things. He even goes out with Maka and the others regularly. But, he walks a very fine line, and a small push could send him over the edge."

Ryuu nodded. "But that's the same for me isn't it? And why you have us work with each other, in case one of us falls, the other can, hopefully, bring them back."

"Exactly. That's the hope anyway," replied the reaper. "One more question. Did you really threaten my son?" Ryuu almost choked on his tea. As it was he coughed while Lord Death thumped his back. "I'm sorry; I guess I should have waited until you weren't drinking. But yes, did you?"

Ryuu nodded as his coughing fit subsided. "A few months ago, why?"

Lord Death took another sip of his tea. "Because he is my son and I don't like when students threaten one another, what was it about?"

Ryuu's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't know?"

"Sadly no," replied Lord Death, his voice dropping a little. "Kiddo wouldn't tell me, but I have a guess or two. Still I would rather have it explained to me."

Ryuu nodded slightly, a small smile on his face. "I asked him a question, and based on that I told him what would happen if he messed up. I'm sorry my lord, but it's not my secret to tell."

The reaper sighed. "I thought you would say that. I'm glad my son as a loyal new friend. Still, if you threaten him, or any students, without provocation, I will settle alright?" The reaper's sing song voice stayed the same, but Ryuu caught the threat all the same. Not for the first time, Ryuu wondered just what the reaper was really thinking. Still, the weapon bowed slightly and made to stand up. "Oh, one more thing."

"My lord?" asked Ryuu.

The reaper took a final sip off his tea and sighed. "Crona, there have been several threats made against him. My son cares for him a great deal, and while I might not personally approve of his choice, I will not stand in his way. As such, as his partner, I'm charging you to make sure Crona stays safe. You want to protect him, this is your chance. I have a bad feeling coming, and I'd rather make sure that Crona always has someone with him. Alright? Good, now run along I believe you have class yes?"

Ryuu bowed again. "I'll look after Crona, and Kid sir. He's important to my partner." The weapon turned and left.

Reaper stroked the chin of his mask. "So he is. Well Stein, what do you think?"

Professor Stein walked out of the shadows. "Those earrings, and his continual slip into a partial madness, I'm not sure. He seems to be in control himself for the most part, but it doesn't take much to push him over."

"Yes it is strange. But then again, some would say the same about you no?" countered the reaper.

Stein smirked slightly. "That's true. My instincts say he's sincere, and he cares about Crona, that much is obvious. They do work well together as well."

"Well for now we'll just continue to watch. Any news on this so called Warlord?" Lord Death even used air quotes.

Stein shook his head as he took a drag off a cigarette. "Not yet, we've been looking for any news on those saintly beasts but they seemed to be holed up somewhere, at least one is licking their wounds."

"Still?" asked the reaper.

Stein nodded. "Unless they have someone with a wavelength like Marie's, it would take a long time to heal up from the fight Ryuu put up. Or, they were spooked and are watching. Either way for now we're still at square one."

Lord nodded as he turned to his mirrors. "Well as long as we keep an eye on Ryuu something will eventually turn up. Well Stein, you have a family to get home too."

Stein smiled slightly. "I do, I do indeed."

Meanwhile Crona was at his new home, helping Miss Marie cook. "Hmm, now we add the potatoes," said Marie. Crona threw the chunks into the pot as Marie stirred the stew. "So how was the mission?"

"F-f-fine," replied Crona.

Marie nodded as she gave Crona a smile. "You and Ryuu seem to be working well together, is resonating with him getting easier?"

Crona nodded a slight smile. "We w-w-work well together, and h-h-he protects me."

"Hey! I fight too!" cried Ragnarok as he popped out of Crona's back.

Not even blinking, Miss Marie tossed the demon a piece of chuck beef who snapped it out of the air. "I'm sure you do a fine job too. I was just curious." Ragnarok grumbled but another piece of beef mollified him a bit. "So Crona, you use Ragnarok and Ryuu together hmm? How's that working?"

"Crona's not half as bitchy as I thought. With me and crazy eyes together, even Crona looks badass," it was the closest Ragnarok ever came to complimenting Crona. Crona smiled slightly, a small soft smile, but a smile none the less.

"W-w-we work well together. Ryuu helps m-me control my p-p-problems, without medication," said Crona, "and, we're friends now, he even gives me advice."

Miss Marie felt her own grin widen as she stared at the boy. "Well that's good then. Oh Crona, Kid called for you, you were still at school, he wanted to talk to you."

"What's the mini reaper want with Crona?" asked Ragnarok as he fiddled with Crona's hair.

Marie shrugged. "He didn't say, you can call him after dinner alright?" Crona nodded a small blush on his face. Marie smiled. "He is rather handsome isn't he?"

"W-w-what!?" screeched Crona, a furious blush on his face.

Marie smiled as she patted Crona's arm. "I was just saying."

"He's a pervert too!" shouted Ragnarok. "He's always staring at Crona, and I can practically hear his pervy thoughts!"

"Ragnarok y-y-you c-c-can't say things like!" snapped Crona, his heavy bowed.

"It's true! Even crazy eyes thinks so!" replied Ragnarok. "It's why he scared the crap out of the three striped weirdo a while ago, and because"

He went to say more when Marie shoved food in his mouth. "Kid is not a pervert, Ragnarok if you keep saying things like that I'll wash your mouth out with soap."

Ragnarok swallowed and stuck his tongue out. "Look just cause your Crona's new momma doesn't mean"

Crona's arm shot up. "Ragnarok Shut Up!" screamed the pink haired meister. Ragnarok slammed back, his tongue lolled out his mouth. The weapon faded back into Crona's body and the meister turned to his adoptive mother. "W-w-why does Kid s-s-stare at me?"

Marie smiled as she took his hand. "It's complicated sweetie, it would be best if you talked to him about it." Crona nodded as he clutched his arm. Marie took the boy's face in her hands. "Don't worry I'm sure it'll be fine." Marie kissed Crona's head and turned back to dinner. Crona smiled slightly. "Can you set the table; Professor Stein will be home soon." Crona nodded, his smile widened as he helped his new family.